Sunbird: The best of birdwatching tours

Welcome to our website

Here you will find details of our programme of birdwatching tours which we hope will be of interest. We have tried to make our website as clear and as easy to navigate around as possible, with all the information you will need about each tour available on the relevant page.

If you have any questions about our tours, or Sunbird in general, please call us on 01767 262522, or email sunbird@sunbirdtours.co.uk

What's New

The Referendum and Exchange Rates

You will all be aware that exchange rates have gone into free-fall since the UK referendum. Many of our tours have large US Dollar elements and some of these tours had already been priced before that referendum. Rather than re-price these tours at the current, post-referendum, exchange rates, we are leaving things as they are for the time being in the hope that sterling recovers against both the US Dollar and the Euro, and we will review each tour closer to the time that we send out the final invoice.

The Solomons archipelago stretches from Bougainville (PNG) in a south-east arc across the Pacific. Consisting of several large islands and numerous small ones, many of which are uninhabited, it is a must-see destination for serious birders. It has a high degree of endemism amongst pigeons, monarchs, fantails, myzomelas and white-eyes. It also has a couple of near legendary flightless rails and some of the least known birds on the planet. We will visit the islands of Guadalcanal, Rennell, Makira, Ugi, Gizo, and Kolombangara, and highlight species are likely to include Heinroth’s Shearwater, Solomons Sea-Eagle, Roviana Rail, Melanesian Megapode, White-headed Fruit-Dove, Ultramarine Kingfisher, Rennell Shrikebill, and Kolombangara Monarch. There will also be an optional post-tour extension to Santa Isabel, primarily to search for Black-faced Pitta, perhaps the world’s toughest pitta. We also have a chance here of seeing Solomons Frogmouth and the wonderfully-named Fearful Owl.

Former Sunbird leader Dan Brown will be returning to lead this short tour to the southern regions of the Western Palearctic. Dan was part of a team that found singing Golden Nightjars there this year and while this mythical species will be the focus of our attention, there will be lots more to look for.

11 - 25 April 2016 with an extension to Isfahan to 28 Aprilwith Paul French

Iran is home to some very special birds, such as the striking Pleske’s Ground Jay

Now widely regarded as belonging within the Western Palearctic, Iran is a magical place where one of the world’s oldest civilisations first developed, and one that is blessed with incredibly beautiful and varied natural habitats. These are full of some great birds that will be the focus of our tour, although we will not ignore Iran’s rich cultural heritage. Other special birds will include Caspian Snowcock, Crab Plover, Sind Woodpecker, Iraq Babbler, Grey Hypocolius, Caspian Tit, Radde’s Accentor, Black-headed Penduline Tit, Persian Wheatear, and Dead Sea Sparrow. For those wishing to see more than just Iran’s natural wonders, we offer a short post-tour excursion to the fabled city of Isfahan, home to some stunning examples of Islamic architecture.

With the passage of time Iran is now welcoming visitors to sample the rich culture and fabled hospitality of this land of legend and mystery. With the re-opening of embassies and direct flights from the UK, we have a unique opportunity to visit a country that has so much to offer anyone interested in birds, wildlife, or the road less travelled.

We should see Black-headed Penduline Tit around pools bordering the Caspian Sea

Namibia16 - 30 October with James LidsterWhy not treat yourself to a real African adventure? Namibia has everything going for it as a great wildlife destination - some stunning scenery, such as the massive iconic bright red dunes of the Namib Desert, or the vast open plains of Etosha alive with herds of mammals. There are some wonderful lodges, such as the one pictured above, and of course there are plenty of birds ranging from elegant Blue Cranes to near-endemics such as Rockrunner and Herero Chat. And in Etosha we can come face to face with herds of African Elephants, a pride of Lions, a lone Cheetah, or a brooding Black Rhino. Our tour in October is confirmed to run and there are a few places remaining.

Dunes towering hundreds of feet above the Namib Desert, and an African Elephant - just two of many memorable sights on the tour.